Out of all the lectures of this semester, i must say this is the least interesting. For one, I am not a fan of poetry at all. Despite my lack of interest in poetry, there were parts of this lecture that caught my attention. It was quite appealing to hear Professor Espito Frank read these poems expressing pain in a different language out loud while trying to follow along in the english translation for these poems. I found that although she was reading the poem in a different language you could still hear the experience or feeling of pain in the words by how they were said. The experience of pain transcends language and culture, it is a universal concept.
What I also found interesting was La Capra poem and the three different english translations by three different translators. It was interesting to see how the difference in translations by the different translators for the lines of the poem. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to translate a poem from one language to another and get the exact meaning and intention of the orginial poet. This very fact is proven if you look at the different translations of the original poem. Finally, as I was typing this exact line, it came to me that poetry and poems are beautiful thing and they are a means to expressing things, such as pain, that are quite often unexpressible, in a abstract or literal way. With that being said, poems expressing pain, are a means to cope and describe a pain and can be for the benefit alone or for others.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Everyone one should know about Bill Baird
In a society where sex and sexuality is something that is no longer kept private but instead is publicly displayed and in most cases accepted, we (especially those individuals of my generation), need to know who Bill Baird is and how important his fight was and is in our life. After finding out what he has done for us and continues to do for us, I am amazed that very few people of our generation know of his name and accomplishments in adults being able to have the right to choose for him or herself. To even think that he was labeled as an "evil-doer" or " the devil himself", is ludicrous.
Sitting at his lecture, I thought to myself, " I am so happy that I came for this". Listening to him speak, I was caught up in what he was saying and there was never a dull moment. Bill Baird took a lot of torment and made a lot of sacrifices to fight for reproductive rights and autonomy and some of these things were utterly unbearable to even hear; threats on his life and children, arson, and jail. Baird really opened my eyes to what we as a society who believes in reproductive rights and having access to birth control need to do. He did it in a very visual and clear-cut way that could not be denied. Baird asked the audience to raise their hands if they believe in reproductive rights and most, if not all, of the audience raised their hands. He continued to ask how many people in the audience have actually done something like contacted legislature or participated in a demonstration and less than five people raised their hands. We owe to Baird and his family to continue this fight because it is never ending by taking action and being proactive not reactive.
Another part of his lecture that caught my attention is when he showed the shocking and grotesque way in which women would attempt to abort the fetus from there womb. As he explained these methods, I would literally cringe and silently make a sound of pain as if I could feel the pain. Probably the most shocking information out of all this was the fact that planned parenthood were opposed to giving birth control products to unmarried persons in the 60s and what is even more shocking is that to this day they do not give Bill Baird any credit or respect for what he has done. Certain laws that were in effect in the 1960s were outright outrageous. To print or publish any type of birth control products resulted in a 10-year prison sentence. It was illegal for unmarried people to get birth control and legal in some states to get an abortion if you were married.
I really enjoyed and appreciated being a part of the audience and I learned so much. Bill Baird is a wonderful , intelligent, brave, heroic, and caring man. It makes me feel good deep down inside to see a man fight for women and their reproductive rights. It makes me view this world in a more positive light and we need more people like him in this world.
Sitting at his lecture, I thought to myself, " I am so happy that I came for this". Listening to him speak, I was caught up in what he was saying and there was never a dull moment. Bill Baird took a lot of torment and made a lot of sacrifices to fight for reproductive rights and autonomy and some of these things were utterly unbearable to even hear; threats on his life and children, arson, and jail. Baird really opened my eyes to what we as a society who believes in reproductive rights and having access to birth control need to do. He did it in a very visual and clear-cut way that could not be denied. Baird asked the audience to raise their hands if they believe in reproductive rights and most, if not all, of the audience raised their hands. He continued to ask how many people in the audience have actually done something like contacted legislature or participated in a demonstration and less than five people raised their hands. We owe to Baird and his family to continue this fight because it is never ending by taking action and being proactive not reactive.
Another part of his lecture that caught my attention is when he showed the shocking and grotesque way in which women would attempt to abort the fetus from there womb. As he explained these methods, I would literally cringe and silently make a sound of pain as if I could feel the pain. Probably the most shocking information out of all this was the fact that planned parenthood were opposed to giving birth control products to unmarried persons in the 60s and what is even more shocking is that to this day they do not give Bill Baird any credit or respect for what he has done. Certain laws that were in effect in the 1960s were outright outrageous. To print or publish any type of birth control products resulted in a 10-year prison sentence. It was illegal for unmarried people to get birth control and legal in some states to get an abortion if you were married.
I really enjoyed and appreciated being a part of the audience and I learned so much. Bill Baird is a wonderful , intelligent, brave, heroic, and caring man. It makes me feel good deep down inside to see a man fight for women and their reproductive rights. It makes me view this world in a more positive light and we need more people like him in this world.
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